When to eat oysters

Published 10:00 pm, Thursday, February 13, 2003

The old saw goes something like this: "Never eat oysters in a month without an 'R' in it."

This stern dictum raises the obvious question in some inquiring minds: What happens in May, June, July and August? And why shouldn't you eat oysters then?

Oysters spawn during the summer. Spawning takes a lot of energy. During reproduction, an oyster consumes the energy stored in its plump little body to aid in its heroic and taxing effort. The result is a tired, flaccid, mushy oyster with a milky appearance.